"... her sophisticated sense of movement counterpoint sustained interest in her formal patterning."

– Lewis Segal, LA Times

"Seda is a poetic genius."

– Jodie Gates, Vice Dean/Director, Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

"Aybay displayed choreographic flair and a cutting-edge sensibility."

– Victoria Looseleaf, LA Times

"Kina is a powerful and intense work... ."

– Jeff Slayton, See Dance

"Kybele Dance Theater performed … for an entranced audience."

– Michael Ray, Santa Monica Mirror

"As each couple danced, you seemed to be watching a summary of a complex relationship swiftly,
lightly impressed upon your consciousness."

– Lewis Segal, LA Times

"Plunging squats, deeply arching backs and lush turns ..."

– Claudia La Rocco, New York Times

"I have been to to the westside’s Theatre Raymond Kabbaz on several occasions over the past few years, and I have never saw it so packed as it was for last week’s performance by Kybele Dance Theatre!!!"

– Karen Salkin, itsnotaboutme.tv

"Seda Aybay’s work is rich with movement, purpose and thought-provoking images. "

– Jeff Slayton, LA Dance Chronicle

"... the movement was all so beautiful ..."

– Karen Salkin, itsnotaboutme.tv

"Kina has beautiful moments and extraordinary dancing."

– Jeff Slayton, LA Dance Chronicle

"Aybay shone throughout the piece, using her breath as an intense extension of her physicality ... that shook me to my core; and, her performance was matched by the rest of the cast."

– Taliah Mancini, LA Dance Chronicle

"...impressive technicality ..."

– Taliah Mancini, LA Dance Chronicle

"[Seda Aybay] is a beautiful dancer with a commanding presence."

– Jeff Slayton, LA Dance Chronicle

"The entire company was technically stunning and impassioned in their performance ..."

– Khayla Jordan Golucke, LA Dance Review

Junji Dezaki

Junji Dezaki is a native of Wakayama, Japan and the longest-running company member of KDT. Junji held the title of Karate State Champion before moving to Los Angeles. After relocating to Southern California, he was cast in the Monsters of Hip-Hop 2007. Junji began taking ballet classes shortly after and has been performing with Ken Dance Company, KIN Dance Company, No) one Arts and City Ballet of Los Angeles. In his dancing style, he mixes martial art, hip-hop and ballet.

Genevieve Zander

A true Angelino who attended The Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys under Louise Mandel and Joseph Malone in high school, Genevieve trained extensively in their full-time apprentice program studying jazz, ballet, hip-hop, tap, voice, and acting. Genevieve attended the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at UC Irvine and the World Arts and Cultures/Dance Department at UCLA. She has danced with Dominic Walsh in Houston and attended programs with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Spellbound Contemporary Ballet in Rome and Sidra Bell Dance New York. Genevieve has danced with LA Opera, Disney, Clairobscur Dance Company, Lucent Dossier Experience, Sarah Elgart/Arrogant Elbow, and Ubuntu Dance Project.­

David Matthew Rodriguez

David Matthew Rodriguez hails from Kansas by way of New Jersey. Rodriguez graduated from University of Kansas with a B.F.A in Dance, Fall of 2011 and has studied jazz, modern, ballet as well as lyrical and hip hop.After graduation, Rodriguez taught at local arts centers and dance studios across Northeast Kansas, most notably teaching and choreographing for the Kansas City based studio, Byrd's Dance and Gymnastics before moving to Los Angeles. For the past 2 years, Rodriguez has been a member of Achinta S. McDaniel's: Blue13 Contemporary Indian Dance Company before joining Kybele.

Jessie Lee Thorne

Jessie Lee Thorne is from Los Angeles, California. Her dance training began at The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and continued at The Boston Conservatory, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Creative Performance. Upon graduation, Jessie moved to Italy to join the Imperfect Dancers Company, where she resided for two years. She has traveled through America, Europe, Russia, and Israel performing works by Walter Matteini, Ohad Naharin, Jiri Kylian, Lester Horton, Doug Varone, Robert Moses Kin’, and Adam Barruch.

Alan L. Perez

Alan L. Perez was born in Lancaster, California and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. He received his BFA in Dance at Cal Arts and attended the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company International Dance Journey. He has performed with the Santa Clarita Ballet as well as performed works of Andres Tyson, Meryl Murman, WangYuanYuan, Lindsy Zapata, Pasadena Dance Theatre and Kira Blazek. Alan has done extensive commercial work for the Volleyball World Series, the City of Pasadena and Amazon to name just a few.

Aleks Perez

Guest Artist

Alejandro Perez is a first generation Mexican-American from Los Angeles. After being a street dancer for about 3 years, Alejandro began his formal dance training during his sophomore year at Hamilton High School before receiving a full scholarship for the UCLA summer dance/theatre intensive where he found honest connection with his passion. He continued his dance training at Santa Monica College and soon after, Alejandro received a full scholarship to be a part of the Alonzo King LINES Ballet two year training program and after the first year he was a full scholarship recipient for the Jacobs Pillow 2017 Ballet summer Program and performed in the 85th Gala Anniversary. Alejandro has since studied and performed with various disciplines from Arturo Fernandez, Alonzo King, Carmen Rozenstraten, Tony Rizzi, Shannon Gillen, Alex Ketley, Greg Dawson, Angelo Dello Lacono, Bruce Wells, Andre Tyson, Desmond Richardson, Keelan Whitmore, Jermaine Spivey and more.

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Sy Lucas

Guest Artist

Sy Gaskin is from Los Angeles and recently completed the Certificate Program at The Ailey School in New York City. He recently received rave reviews in DanceNow Festival Encore and has appeared on the cover of O Magazine, BET, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and the Emmy Awards. Sy has performed works by a variety of well-known choreographers, including Alvn Ailey, Debbie Allen, Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio, Otis Sallid, and Karen McDonald. Sy began his dance training with ballet at Santa Monica College and continued his training at Debbie Allen Dance Academy after receiving a full scholarship and performed with Kybele in its early years. We are glad to welcome Sy back!

Rachel Walton

Guest Artist

Rachel began her dance training in Leesburg, VA studying ballet, jazz, and contemporary from a young age. After high school, she was accepted into the inaugural class of BFA dance students at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. While in Los Angeles, she has enjoyed studying under the prestigious faculty, artists in residence, and guest faculty at USC as well as adding hip-hop to her training. Entering into her senior year, she has performed in works by William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, and Aszure Barton. Rachel has enhanced her training through a variety of summer programs, including Springboard Danse Montreal, BalletX, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

Christian Espinel

Guest Dancer

Christian Espinel, a native from Los Angeles and began his training with the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, learning various styles from Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Tissue, Character, Dunham and many other techniques. He has performed in many of Ms. Allen’s original productions and through DADA, he joined Unity Dance Ensemble a company founded by So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Tessandra Chavez. He has since worked with Rosero McCoy dancing on Disney Channels “Shake It Up” as well as on BET in Debbie Allen’s “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker”. Christian then became a member of Utah’s ‘Best Of State’ company Odyssey Dance Theatre touring nationally as well as throughout Germany and Istanbul. Christian also dances with JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble, Invertigo Dance Theatre and Pony Box Dance Theatre. Throughout this dance journey he has had the privilege to share the stage with artists such as, Herbie Hancock, Raven-Simone, Jaleel White, Tichina Arnold, ELEW andmany others.

Sam Chin

Apprentice

Sam, originally from Los Angeles, began her dancing in ballet and hip hop while living in Massachusetts at age 11. Sam pursued a BA in Dance at San Francisco State University where she trained in ballet, jazz, Horton, Alexander, and various release techniques under the training of Ray Tadio, Wendy Diamond, and Cathleen McCarthy. Sam was a company member of SFSU’s University Dance Theater for two years training in Horton Technique with Ana Marie Forsythe and Sylvia Watters of Alvin Ailey. While SFSU’s UDT collaborated with Oberlin Dance Collective’s professional company, Sam performed as a soloist.

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Kybele Dance Theater (KDT) is a professional contemporary dance company based in Los Angeles, California since 2003. Read more